On the other hand, I'd say it's time for a tax rebate. Or at the very least, I would dearly love to see some of this surplus used to repair our bridges and roads. Frankly, they're starting to turn into s**t lately. If you're a Minnesota driver, you know exactly what I mean.
The down side to all this other than the fact state govt may have taxed us too much? There's no guarantee that this surplus will remain now that the DFL has seized control of both the state house and state senate.
Comments or opinions - anyone?
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I guarantee no rebates (at least not to those who actually paid the taxes)
Expect more of the same:edukation,choo-choo trains,welfare.
sounds like its time to cut taxes in minnesota. although if you have a dem state congress, thats not gonna happen.
" On the other hand, I'd say it's time for a tax rebate. "
No, how about lower tax rates,
a lasting solution.
We already have income tax and sales tax,
cut the income tax down to 3% for all,
use surplus to cover budget while
awaiting incoming sales tax revenue,
as more Minnesotan's will have more income to spend.
Ventura already missed out
on being a hero to the average tax payer,
with his tiny (1/2)% rate reduction.
OK. Let's have a vote.
Who thinks the state will cut taxes and rebate the surplus?
Who thinks the state will increase spending and swallow up the surplus (and guarantee another deficit when revenue drops off)?
Silly questions, I know.
gee...I wonder who she is referring to when she says "we"
As far as the roads, when I lived in Minne-soooo-ta, 20 years ago, they used concrete almost exclusively for roads. I have noticed in years since, while visiting, that they are going more and more to asphalt. Sorry, but asphalt is cheaper, but it is just not up to Minnesota winters.
Same thing happened in NC in the spring this year for almost the same amount. The General Ass'y had it spent in 2 months. Now the state has another $1.1 Bln surplus and guess what?
Jason Lewis will probably host another Tax Rebate Rally at the Capitol. I'm in.
It's never enough. Never. And we'll never see the new taxes go to roads. Never! They use the roads (or lack of them, rather) to keep sucking money from us when they've spent all the good money on their socialist causes. "We need more money for roads!" Ya, OK, then, we had money, so where did they spend it?
State sales tax 6.5%. Tobacco tax out of this world. They should have a surplus.
No rebates. Just lower taxes and fix the roads.
I came from a state(CO) that had a 2.6% state sales tax and they managed just as well as MN, if not better. What is going on here?
I think this is from Jesse's time in the Governor's Office. /sarc.
The shocking thing is that that's only 3% of the total budget.
When I left the State of Minnesota between 20 and 25 years ago, the State Income tax was right at 50% of the Federal Income tax. I moved to a different state that had a State Income tax that was 18% of the Federal tax. It has since gone up here to about 25%, but other taxes have gone up more (particularly real extate taxes). I shudder to think what it has become like in Minnesota, though.
More importantly than taxes was that the housing cost was about 1/2 to 2/3 that of Minnesota at that time. The difference was because of a Minnesota law. They had a limit (a cap) on the interest rate for mortgages. After the rates climbed above that, no one could build or buy a house unless they could pay cash. I actually remember a bank saying (with a straight face) that they still offered mortgages -- provided you put down a 90% down payment. I know because I was looking for my first house at the time. I seem to remember the limit was around 7-1/2% to 8%.
Anyway, after several years of virtually no new housing, the cost for existing housing skyrocketed. I moved, bought a house (easily), and have never looked back.
Lower property taxes would be nice.
Thank every smoker that you know; because they paid for this surplus in their cigarette "fees" this year.
Then lower the tax rate in this politically messed State I live in.